1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a steering column assembly for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles can be equipped with a steering column that adjusts the position of a steering wheel to enhance the comfort and safety of an operator of the vehicle. For example, the steering column can provide longitudinal movement for moving the steering wheel closer to and away from the vehicle operator. Also, the steering wheel can provide tilting movement to tilt the steering wheel relative to other components of the steering column. These features cooperate to enable the vehicle operator to manually adjust the steering wheel to a desired, convenient position for operating the vehicle and for enabling the steering wheel to be moved out of the way to provide greater access to getting into and out of the vehicle operator's seat.
One such steering column assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,481 (Li et al.). Li et al. discloses a steering column assembly for a vehicle that includes an outer jacket attached to the vehicle and an inner jacket coupled to the outer jacket. The outer jacket is movable relative to the inner jacket along a longitudinal axis. The steering column assembly of Li et al. further includes a longitudinal lock mechanism for preventing longitudinal movement when the longitudinal lock mechanism is in a locked position and for permitting longitudinal movement when the longitudinal lock mechanism is in an unlocked position. Furthermore, the steering column assembly of Li et al. includes a tilt housing engaged with the inner jacket for providing tilting movement between different angular positions relative to the inner jacket. A tilt lock mechanism is operatively connected to the tilt housing, and has an engaged position for preventing tilting movement and a disengaged position for permitting tilting movement. Additionally, Li et al. discloses a lock select mechanism coupled to the tilt lock mechanism and the longitudinal lock mechanism, through which the longitudinal lock mechanism and the tilt lock mechanism are alternatively engaged. Adjusting movement of the column tilt and longitudinal position is done through a single drive mechanism including a power rotating screw and which is selectively locked with one or the other of the tilt and longitudinal lock mechanisms to make the respective adjusting movement and to lock the column assembly into its adjusted position. The tilt and longitudinal lock mechanisms of the steering column assembly of Li et al. function by locking one or the other of the tilt and longitudinal lock mechanisms to the powered adjusting movement drive mechanism to lock the column in place, and to make the adjusting movement.
Although the steering column assembly disclosed by Li et al. provides ergonomic benefits of being easily adjusted, and to easily select between the alternative modes of tilt and longitudinal adjustment, both with low effort, the attendant cost and packaging constraints may in some cases prohibit use of such a steering column assembly. Thus, although the steering column assemblies of the prior art may be enjoyed by a wide variety of consumers, there remains an opportunity to improve upon the steering column assemblies of the prior art by providing a steering column that allows a vehicle operator to ergonomically adjust both tilting movement and longitudinal movement directly, without requiring a powered adjusting movement drive mechanism and its attendant cost and package space requirements, and which also allows easily selecting alternative modes of column tilt and longitudinal adjustment with low effort.